The Ruler from Bethlehem

Introduction:

As we continue in our current series entitled, Christ in the Old Testament, a series that has us exploring nine key passages from the Old Testament, revealing how God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ was woven into the fabric of salvation history from the very beginning, and are progressive in nature.

We began with three sermons related to foundational typology,

The first promise made to Adam and Eve at their point of sin of one who would crush the serpents head and be bruised in the process, in Genesis 3:15.

Then we saw the need for a substitute, one that would die in the place of the one chosen, in the ultimate sacrifice, in Genesis 22:1-19.

Then we saw the type of the passover lamb whose blood would save God’s people from God’s wrath of death in Exodus 12:1-13.

Then two sermons that showed us The Work of Atonement itself, The Suffering Servant, from Isaiah 53, and the King on the Cross from Psalm 22. From these sermons we saw the seriousness of sin…sin must be atoned for. God can not forgive sins, he forgives sinners whose sins have been atoned for.

Now we will look at two sermons, this week and next, that shows us The Identity of the Redeemer (Eternal God, Perfect Man). This week we will identify, our redeemer as The Ruler from Bethlehem, from Micah 5:1-6.

Text: Micah 5:1-6

Micah 5:1–6 ESV

1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5 And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; 6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.

Main Idea: Because our redeemer must enter our world, this prophecy reveals Christ's human birthplace and simultaneously asserts His pre-existent, eternal, divine nature.

Background:

Micah was a prophet active in the Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (around 740–698 BC), making him a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea. He was from the small town of Moresheth (Micah 1:1), located in the southwestern part of Judah, roughly 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, and often spoke as an outsider to the corrupted power centers of Jerusalem and Samaria.

His core message was a mixture of denunciation and hope:

Judgment: Micah primarily condemned the widespread social injustice and corruption among the leaders, priests, and false prophets, who oppressed the poor and twisted the laws. He boldly prophesied the future destruction of both Samaria (which fell to Assyria) and Jerusalem.

Restoration and Hope: Alongside judgment, Micah delivered promises of restoration for a faithful remnant and foretold an era of universal peace under a righteous ruler.

Theological Core: The book contains one of the most famous summaries of God's requirements: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).

Micah 5:2-5 is a particularly significant Messianic prophecy that points directly to Jesus Christ. We begin with the prophecy of…

I. A Small Village with a Big Promise (5:1-2a)

We begin with a verse that sets the context for this prophecy…

1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops. As earlier (4:9, 11), this word signals distress for Zion. The play on words between muster your troops (Hb. titgodedi) and daughter of troops (Hb. bat-gedud) suggests Zion’s inability to establish an army to defend itself.

siege is laid against us. Probably that of Sennacherib (701 B.C.).

with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. This insult to Israel’s leader signifies that Jerusalem will fall to its Babylonian attackers, and all power to resist will be gone (cf. 2 Kin. 25:4–7).

Although this is the context of this prophesy, as God does so often, he contrasts the sin and failure of men, with the hope of the covenant keeping God, as he says next…

2a But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, …

But. Contrasts the coming ruler with the current humiliated representative of David’s line in v. 1.

Bethlehem Ephrathah. The previously undistinguished town of David’s birth (1 Sam. 16:1–13), situated five miles (8 km) southwest of Jerusalem.

Bethlehem means "house of bread" (Hebrew: בֵּית לֶחֶם, beit lechem) - fitting for a town in a fertile agricultural region.

Ephrathah (אֶפְרָתָה) was the ancient name for the region around Bethlehem and possibly an older name for Bethlehem itself. The term appears to be connected to the clan or family of Ephrathites who settled there.

The unlikely choice of David as king foreshadows the unlikely choice of Bethlehem as the hometown of the greater David. Though the Davidic line of kings would temporarily cease (v. 3), God would yet raise up a ruler from David’s family to reign forever—Jesus Christ Himself (2 Sam. 7:12–17; Matt. 2:6).

Matthew 2:6 ESV

6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Matthew 2:6 (combining this with Mic. 5:4) shows that Jewish scholars of Jesus’ day read this as a prediction of the Messiah’s birthplace (cf. John 7:42). 

John 7:42 ESV

42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

This insignificant town, seen as not very important, the birth place of King David would be the birthplace of…

II. The Ruler from of Old (5:2b-3)

2b …, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

from you shall come forth for me. All occurs to advance the divine plan.

one who is to be ruler in Israel - This text is referring to the Messiah’s ancient Davidic lineage, confirming that the ancient covenantal promises made to David still stand.

from ancient days. This expression can also be translated “from days of eternity.” Indeed, “from of old” is rendered “from everlasting” in Hab. 1:12, where it is applied to God Himself (cf. “eternal God,” Deut. 33:27). Micah has certainly learned that the ruler’s origin long predates His anticipated future coming. A more-than-human figure is involved.

Habakkuk 1:12 ESV

12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.

Deuteronomy 33:27 ESV

27 The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, ‘Destroy.’

Thus, this ruler's "origin is from of old, from ancient of days", pointing specifically to His eternal, divine nature before time.  

3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.

Therefore - looking back on what was promised, and looking at what has happened to God’s covenant people, there seems to be a faltering of God ‘s covenant promise, for…

he shall give them up. Israel would be without a Davidic king from the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. until the coming of Christ. But even this is a part of God’s plan to show that no earthly king will bring about what God in His steadfast love had promised to do…it is not…

until the time when she who is in labor has given birth. A reference is more then likely to Mary, the mother of Jesus, or to the faithful remnant (see 4:10). There will be no King until the birth of the King.

then the rest of his brothers shall return. The statement emphasizes the unity of the people of God under the Messiah’s rule, and may refer to the thousands of Israelites who were converted after Pentecost (Acts 2:41, 47).

It’s like saying that although all seems to have failed and the works of the enemy has prevailed, there would be a remnant, a people returning as God’s covenant promises prevail.

This ruler would not be as imagined, a conquering King who would restore Israel to its former glory, but, more importantly, He would be…

III. A Shepherd for His People (5:4-6)

The people of God did not need only one who fights against their enemies and gives them peace, safety and good health in the physical sense, but of greater value, they need shepherding, a transformation that must happen from within.

4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord. The Messiah’s rule and protection of Yahweh’s flock are accomplished by Yahweh’s authority and power. The messianic ruler is assigned the Lord’s role (Micah 2:12) of caring for the flock.

Micah 2:12 ESV

12 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men.

John 10:11–14 ESV

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God - all that sets Yahweh apart from all else and all others, His reputation and eternal glory.

There is something greater at work here then just the safety and protection of God’s people…it is God own reputation and transcendence…that what makes Him God alone!

Only then will they dwell secure … ends of the earth. The breadth of his greatness ensures that those who return (Hb. yeshubun, v. 3) will also dwell (Hb. yashabu) without fear.

for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth - notice the extent and the intended outcome of God’s divine plan…to those beyond Israel.

In the midst of all that appears to be failing and falling apart, the prophesied promise is…

5 And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; 6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, bringing peace.

their peace. The ruler as “Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6; cf. also Zech. 9:10) will provide completely for the well-being and security of His people. It is this aspect of Christ’s mission on which Paul reflects in Eph. 2:14. As he reveals to the Ephesian Christians what God means by he shall be great to the ends of the earth (4), that God’s remnant with include both Jew and Gentile.

Ephesians 2:11–14 ESV

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

the Assyrian. Micah now switches his focus back to contemporary conditions. Assyria, the besieging nation of v. 1, here represents all enemies opposed to God’s kingdom. So what hope is there against such enemies?

then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men.

This is Hebrew numerical parallelism - a poetic device where you have ascending numbers (x and x+1). You see this pattern throughout Scripture:

Proverbs 6:16 “16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:”

Amos 1:3 “3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron.”

The formula conveys completeness, sufficiency, or abundance - basically "more than enough." In other words, the hope is that there will be a more-than-sufficient supply of leaders to expand Christ’s kingdom between the Messiah’s actions and those who faithfully lead in his place. 

(6) This is evidenced in the main verbs they shall shepherd … he shall deliver, extending the Messiah’s rule even among these Gentiles (the land of Nimrod - a reference to Babylon).

Therefore, in the midst of sure destruction of the people of God by the enemies of God, and the discontinuance of the Davidic line, there is a revealed divine, sovereign truth that shall prevail, that Yahweh will keep His coveant with the remnant of His people and will do so by the birth of His Son, in which the ultimate lineage of David is fulfilled, in an insignificant village of Bethlehem.

Christ fulfills this prophecy in the following ways:

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah" (v. 2) - Jesus was literally born in Bethlehem of Judea (Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-7). This small town was the birthplace of King David, thus linking the Messiah to the Davidic covenant.

"one who is to be ruler in Israel" (v. 2) - Jesus is the promised King—the Messiah. The wise men asked King Herod where the "King of the Jews" was to be born, and the scribes quoted this very passage from Micah (Matthew 2:4-6).

"whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days" (v. 2) - This language signifies a divine, eternal origin, not just a human ancestor. It points to the pre-existence of Christ, who is the Son of God made flesh.

"he shall stand and shepherd his flock" (v. 4) - Jesus fulfilled the role of the ideal King by being the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), who cares for and guides His people. He rules not by military might, but by sacrificial love and divine strength.

"he shall be great to the ends of the earth" (v. 4) - Jesus' influence and reign are universal, extending far beyond Israel. His message and authority have spread across the globe.

"he shall be their peace" (v. 5) - Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who brings true reconciliation, first between God and humanity (Romans 5:1) through His atoning work, and ultimately bringing peace among people (Ephesians 2:14-16).

So What?

Do we understand that there is no human solution to the comprehensive sinfulness of man, but only through God’s plan of entering our world is this solution realized?

Do we understand that God cannot forgive sin, it must be dealt with, and that God dealt with sin by sending Christ, who existed before time, so that now, through His atoning sacrifice, He can forgive the sinner?

Do we understand that though it seems that God’s enemies have prevailed in our world, that only He will bring about peace through the prince of peace, and absolutely nothing will thwart His plan?